China’s overseas investment soars as FDI drops again

BEIJING (AFP) – China’s outbound investment more than doubled in August to $12.62 billion, data showed Tuesday, far outstripping foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country, which fell to a four-year low.

China has been actively acquiring foreign assets, particularly energy and resources, to power its economy, with firms encouraged to “go out” and make overseas acquisitions to gain market access and international experience. Officials have said overseas direct investment (ODI) could exceed FDI this year.

The 112.1 per cent year-on-year increase in ODI announced by the commerce ministry was a dramatic contrast to the 14.0 per cent fall in FDI, which sank to $7.20 billion. Both sets of figures exclude investment in financial sectors.

FDI was also less than July’s $7.81 billion and was the lowest since July 2010, when it stood at $6.92 billion.

People walk at the entrance of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone in Pudong district – REUTERS

Chinese authorities have in recent months launched anti-monopoly, pricing and other inquiries into scores of foreign firms in sectors ranging from auto manufacturing and pharmaceuticals to baby milk.

The investigations have raised concerns among investors that Beijing is targeting overseas companies.

But Shen denied any connection between the investigations and the fall in FDI. “They are not related,” he said, declining to comment further.

But he added that China plans to revise three laws governing overseas companies and Sino-foreign joint ventures.

“By revising the laws, we hope to… create a more stable, transparent and predictable legal environment for foreign investment in China,” he told reporters.

Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, the new European Ambassador to China, said that he doubted whether it made sense to “judge this on the basis of one or two cases”.

But he added that it is not in China’s interests to “single out foreign companies and scare them away”.

“Quite honestly, I think when you look at the policy objectives and the need to bring about … a more balanced economy, it will not really make much sense to scare away foreign investors and foreign economic actors, which I think can make important contribution to achieving this change,” he said.

For the first eight months of the year, China’s ODI was up 15.3 per cent at $65.17 billion.